1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a drawer rail, and more particularly relates to an auto-return drawer rail with dampening to control an auto-return of a drawer so preventing a base of the auto-return drawer rail from breaking during operation.
2. Description of Related Art
When a drawer is not closed completely, insects or dust may get into the drawer and the drawer causes a hazard to passers-by. To keep a drawer closed completely when not in use, an auto-returning device with a spring is mounted on a drawer rail to provide an auto-returning effect to the drawer. However, the spring of the conventional auto-returning device usually provides a strong force to pull the drawer back, but when this force is too large the drawer may be damaged, thereby shortening a life-span of the drawer.
With reference to FIGS. 9, 10 and 11, another conventional auto-returning drawer rail (50) has a drawer rail assembly (not shown), an auto-returning device (52) and a buffering device (53).
The drawer rail assembly is mounted in a drawer cavity and has multiple tracks (not shown). The tracks are slidably mounted to each other in the drawer cavity.
The auto-returning device (52) is mounted on the drawer rail assembly and has a base (54), a sliding block (55), a connector (56) and two springs (57).
The base (54) is securely mounted on one of the tracks of the drawer rail assembly and has a top, a rear end, two sidewalls and two elongated grooves (541). The elongated holes (541) are respectively formed through the sidewalls of the base (54).
The sliding block (55) is mounted slidably in the base (54) between the sidewalls and has a rear end and two sliding tabs (551) mounted slidably in the elongated holes (541) of the base (54).
The connector (56) is connected to the rear end of the sliding block (55), is mounted in the elongated holes (541) between the sidewalls of the base (54) and has two sides, a rear end, two mounting recesses (561) and two bosses (562). The mounting recesses (561) are formed in the connector (56) parallel each other between the sides and are mounted on the sidewalls of the base (54) in the elongated holes (541). The bosses (562) are respectively formed on and protrude from the sides of the connector (56) and extend out of the elongated holes (541) of the base (54).
The springs (57) are connected to the rear end of the base (54) and the bosses (561) of the connector (56) to pull the sliding block (55) along the elongated holes (541).
The buffering device (53) is mounted in the auto-returning device (52) between the base (54) and the rail bracket assembly and has a damper (58) and a drive shaft (59). The damper (58) is mounted securely in the rear end of the base (54) and has a front end. The drive shaft (59) is mounted slidably in the damper (58), is connected to the rear end of the connector (56) to provide a buffering effect.
Although, the conventional auto-returning drawer rail (50) can prevent the drawer from gaining too much speed and being damaged. Since the elongated holes (541) are formed through the sidewalls of the base (54), structural strength of the base (54) near the top is reduced. In addition, the connector (56) is only slidably mounted in the elongated holes (541) of the base (54) and does not engage or lock the sidewalls of the base (54). With further reference to FIG. 12, the connector (56) may keel and press against the top of the base (54) when moving forward along the elongated holes (541) of the base (54). Then, the base (54) near the elongated holes (541) may be broken due to the connector (56) pressing against the top of the base (54) and reducing a life-span of the base (54) connector.
Therefore, the invention provides an auto-returning drawer rail to mitigate or obviate the aforementioned problems.